Huntsville is ranked 12th (we were eighth last year) and is ahead of the likes of Clearwater, Fla.; Austin, Texas and Tucson, Ariz. Marquette, Mich.; Cape Coral, Fla.; and Boise, Idaho are the top three.

According to the CNN/Money article, "More than 3,200 acres of parks blanket Huntsville, which also boasts nearly a dozen recreation centers, six public golf courses, three municipal swimming pools and 175 miles of bicycle paths."

That's just in the city. Huntsville's location between the Tennessee River and the Appalachian Mountains make it an ideal base camp for hiking, fishing, boating, and birding in nearby state parks and nature preserves."

The ranking comes as no surprise, of course, to Mayor Tommy Battle.

"This is something we have known for years," Battle said. "When we see 100 military generals choose to retire in Huntsville after they have lived all over the world, it says something about the quality of our city and its citizens."

The Huntsville Museum of Art is a popular attraction in the city's Big Spring International Park. (The Huntsville Times/Michael Mercier)

The story also noted Huntsville's "healthy serving of restaurants, stores, performing arts and medical care."

While noting the city's NASA and defense links, the story said, "There's plenty going on right here on Earth in this northern Alabama burg, too."